Wheel-fender for railroad-trucks.



I. N. GATES.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

(70.. PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON. 0. CV

WHEEL FENDER FOR RAILROAD TRUCKS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1914.

, I 1 i? E "HE NORRIS PETERS ISAACN. GATES, OF RICHMO ND, CALIFORNIA.

WHEEL-FENDER FOR RAILROAD TRUCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Appfication fi1ed January 20,1914. Serial No. 813,588.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ISAAC N. GA'rns, a citizen of the United States, residing 1n the city of Richmond, county of Contra Costa, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in VVheeLFenders for Railroad-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fenders for wheels on railroad trucks wherein a portion of the present truck is extended and modified to an extent that will permit of its utility as a fender and wherein another portion of the present truck is modified and extended to an extent that will permit of its utility as a brace or support for the fender, and the objects of my invention are first, to provide a simple improved fender for the wheels of railroad trucks that are adapted to lie directly over the rail and in front of the truck in both directions; second, to utilize the upper and lower truss bars of a truck for providing a fender and for supporting the same; and third, to provide a fender of the character described which will not in any way interfere with the functions of the brake beams, brake shoes, or other present equipment of railroad trucks. I accomplish these several features by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of one side of a railroad truck, disclosing the manner in which the top truss bar is offset and extended so as to rest directly over the rail and in front of the wheelthereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation disclosing the manner in which the top truss bar is inclined so as to be adjacent to the rail and also the manner in which the lower truss bar is extended and inclined for the support of the extended portion of the top bar.

In order to, remove obstacles from the rail in front of the Wheels and particularly to prevent persons from being run over by the wheels of a car truck, I have provided the hereinafter described device which is an It rests on the journal boxes 2 of a truck 1 and supports the spring box column within which rests the end of the lower bolster.

In the present invention I have provided a top truss bar 1 secured to the top of the journal boxes 2 and having offset extensions 8 which lie directly over the rails 4: and in front of: the wheels 5. The extensions 3 are upwardly inclined so as to lift an object from the rail 4 and the offset portion of the extension is designed to force or throw the obstruction to one side and away from the wheel after being thus lifted. It is evident thatwere a person to fall between the cars of a freight train while it is in motion, there is nothing but the brake beam between the person and the wheels; consequently, the

person would meet with serious, if not fatal in ury.

In order to properly support and brace the extension 3, I have extended the lower truss bar 6 as at 7, theends of the extensions 7 being secured in any suitable manner to the said extensions 3.

It would be highly unpractical as well as extremely expensive to, equip all rolling stock with movable or folding fenders,

however simple in operation and construe tion. With the present device however, a practical, effective and inexpensive fender may be provided for each wheel. .This will tend to greatly decrease accidents to persons and property, for thereason that any obstruction which may be on the track in front of the train, or which may fall between the cars or between the trucks, will beremoved from the rail instead of permitting the wheels to pass over the said obstruction.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is p :1. A fender for railroad trucks comprising an extension integral with the top truss bar of a truck and arranged to lie directly over the rail in front'of the Wheel of the said truck. i I

2. A fender for railroad trucks comprising an offset extension integral with the top truss bar of a railroad truck and arranged to lie directly over the rail and ad Patented 0on2), 1 914.

the Wheels of the truck, the said extended ends being also inclined so as to lie adjacentto the rails on which the said Wheels v ride; and means integral with the truck ar- ISAAC GATES 5 ranged to support the offset extensions of Witnesses:

the top truss bar. 1 N. L. BALLINGER,

In witnesswhereof I hereunto set my sig- Jos. IVERSEN.

nature in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

